Rail safety for pedestrians
FLORIDA– Floridadaily.com writes that a US legislator from Florida is looking to improve pedestrian safety around railroad tracks. The proposed bill, which is entitled the “Pedestrian Safety Study Act,” is intended to protect people from accidents involving the high-speed railroad that is being expanded in Florida.
The rail corridor in which the high-speed trains run has seen 74 deaths in recent years. Of that total, 40 were caused by the high-speed trains that run through the area. The bill is clearly directed at Virgin Trains USA, which is carrying out the expansion project.
The large number of fatalities associated with the Virgin trains is causing concern among the local population. Fast-moving locomotives are currently running through heavily populated residential communities, and with the train lines expanding, more conflicts are anticipated.
According to representatives, Brightline, which owned the high-speed rail until Virgin purchased the company, has a reputation of being dishonest about the crashes involving its trains. The study is aimed at addressing the risks posed by the high-speed rail line and exposing the concerns that the company has refrained from accurately reporting.
If passed, the study would examine the railroad with an emphasis on determining the safety issues threatening pedestrians and motorists. A special emphasis would be placed on areas around schools.
In the past, Brightline addressed the safety concerns by stating that the majority of fatalities involving its trains were suicides. The company’s assertions have been questioned, though, as the official numbers regarding suicides related to trains are far lower than those presented by Brightline. A spokesperson for Brightline argued that their higher numbers come from the review of footage of the crashes.
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